Echelon Partners continues to dominate the RIA M&A market even as top consultants Carolyn Armitage and Mark Bruno depart to pursue new opportunities. The Manhattan Beach-based investment bank is riding an eighth consecutive year of record deal flow, focusing heavily on high-margin investment banking while scaling back consulting services. Echelon’s leadership emphasizes the firm’s expertise in RIA mergers and acquisitions, supporting both buyers and sellers in the fast-growing wealth management sector.
With deal volume at historic highs, fees for transactions up to $5 million can range from 4% to 6% of deal value, making advisory services highly lucrative. Armitage moves to Minneapolis-based Thrivent Advisor Network to expand its hybrid RIA brand, while Bruno joins New York media firm Informa to lead wealth management initiatives. Echelon continues to hire experienced staff to meet demand, capitalizing on its unique combination of consulting and transaction capabilities in a market showing no signs of slowing down…